Daily Archives: October 4, 2010

… I’m done defending embattled Georgia coach Mark Richt. Even with star receiver A.J. Green back in the lineup (and making ridiculous, falling-down, one-handed catches), the Bulldogs couldn’t even beat hapless Colorado, falling to 1-4 with a 29-27 loss. Caleb King’s fumble in the final two minutes cost a shot at a possible game-winning field goal. “It’s bad luck, man. Nothing’s falling our way,” said Green. It’s going to take more than luck for UGA to avoid a losing season.

You know what they say: when you’ve lost Mandel, you’ve lost Montana.

Meanwhile, Dennis Dodd proves once again he’s got the best research staff in college football reporting. Taking a shot at the Coaches Poll (nothing wrong with that), Dodd tweets this:

I hope Mark Richt’s right about this, but I sort of fear he’s waving a red cape in front of a bull when he says,

“We can’t sit around and cry about it because if we do, we’re really going to be in trouble,” Richt said. “There’s a lot of history of both these teams being ranked when we play and now we’re both sitting there without a win in the SEC. A little bit different circumstances for both teams, but a very important game for both of us.”

A Georgia loss would send the Bulldogs to their first 1-5 start since 1905.

Richt said he’s not concerned with fans turning on the Bulldogs or his players being affected by negativity.

“I think it’s a minority of fans who will really come out and be horribly negative with our guys and this coaching staff,” Richt said. “I think the majority of our fans are true blue and they’re going to support us no matter what because we’re their team and they love the team.

“Walking off that field at Colorado, I thought the fans that showed up there were phenomenal before, during and after the game. … Everybody’s disappointed, but I don’t see many fans getting real nasty.”

I think that theory is going to be tested Saturday. I remember the crowd at the Auburn ’99 game. At the time, I didn’t join in, but I didn’t cringe, either. Mike Bobo’s got a chance to play Kevin Ramsey, especially after the fifth time he sends Carlton Thomas to run between the tackles. Trust me, Coach, it’s not company you want to keep.

Former University of North Carolina associate head coach John Blake called Alabama defensive lineman Marcell Dareus this summer and lobbied for him to consider employing agent Gary Wichard, an Alabama source confirmed Sunday.

Dareus reported the information to the NCAA when it interviewed him during its investigation into violations of improper benefits received by Dareus and players at several other schools, including North Carolina.

It’s just like watching a suspect get sweated in a Law and Order episode.

There’s an interesting Marist Poll out about football viewing habits. Regionally speaking, interest in college football is pretty consistent throughout most of the country, except in the Northeast, where it’s clear that they could care less.

No wonder the Big East is rumored to be chasing TCU.

By the way, I know we think the college football hot house we inhabit is somehow representative of the larger world around us, but that ain’t so.

54% of U.S. residents are college football fans. This includes 12% who watch college football a great deal, 10% who enjoy a good amount of it, and 32% who say they follow it a little. 46% do not watch college football at all. [Emphasis added.]